After two weeks of grinding we have more data to make our daily fantasy picks for NFL week 3. I’ll give you 20 players to pick in good spots this week to produce some DFS wins. Here are my 5 5 player lists at QB, RB, WR, and FLEX #DFS5. We have some real cheap guys on @GoDraft getting lots of touches so check for my @GoDraft Value Plays article as well.
QB:
- Tom Brady (GoDraft $17,100, DK $7,700) Vegas has New England as the highest scoring team of the weekend at 30.5 points and for good reason. Short throws, intermediate throws or deep throws, Brady is doing it all and lit up Buffalo last weekend for 466 yards on 37 of 59 passing. Even if they tone it down to a more modest number of attempts this week I still see Brady with over 40 passes. Play Brady and pick Gronk, Lewis, Edelman or a cheap target for the stack. Remember he was supposed to be suspended for these games!!!
- Aaron Rodgers (GoDraft $17,600, DK $8,000) Rodgers is a great pick at home where his has thrown 39 TDs and no INTs over the last two seasons. Add in the uncertain status of Eddie Lacy and the popular belief is Rodgers will up his attempts with Starks in the backfield in what looks like a close game if you believe in game flow. GB will have to score to keep pace and it will be as a result of Aaron Rodgers making plays with his arm.
- Matt Ryan (GoDraft $16,200, DK $7,100) I love Ryan the last two weeks and I love him again this week. He is going to be asked to carry the team. With the injury to Tevon Coleman that leaves Freeman in the backfield who is a quality PPR option back. They will pass early and often. That also means more targets for Julio Jones and leaves room for a second WR to emerge in either Roddy White or Leonard Hankerson.
- Ben Rothlisberger (GoDraft $16,200, DK $7,200) Big Ben gets another weapon back and don’t forget Bell gets plenty of targets in the passing game. Vegas knows best but I’d take the over in St. Louis. I see a shootout here and 1st team to 35 points wins.
- Carson Palmer (GoDraft $16,000, DK $6,600) Every week I pass on Carson and every week I regret it. The guy can sling the ball around and he has weapons and speed around him. Just when Larry Fitz gets counted out he responds with a 3 TD game. Palmer can get the ball to speedsters John Brown or David Johnson for those quick scores. I sense a closer game with more passing attempts and big results.
RB:
- Marshawn Lynch (GoDraft $17,600, DK $7,400) The Chicago defense has no chance against an 0-2 Seattle team back at home with Kam Chancellor in the mix. Emotions are sky high and Marshawn needs to get this team going. As a 2 TD favorite, Vegas is projecting the Seahawks to score 29+ points and Lynch gets in the end Latavzone twice.
- Latavius Murray (GoDraft $12,500, DK $5,800) Murray is one of the few backs in the NFL to get all of the carries these days and gets 5-8 targets just for being in the game so much. The only knock is the game is in Cleveland. I expect Murray to touch it all day and have success.
- Adrian Peterson (GoDraft $17,600, DK $7,500) The Vikings found the winning formula last week by giving Peterson 31 touches. He had a TD called back and fumbled three times so he can get better. Peterson is a stud so play him and find savings elsewhere.
- Le’Veon Bell (GoDraft $17,600, DK $7,500) Once again I predict a shootout here. Bell gets 25 touches and produces big in his return. He is often targeted in the passing game so PPR points will pile up also.
- Dion Lewis (GoDraft $9,500, DK $4,200) New England is putting points up at will and Brady is hot. Lewis is the new RB pass catching threat now that Vereen has moved on and he is a better runner than Vereen. The NE starting RB always has value but it’s been so hard to predict what Coach Belichick will do with the backfield. I think he goes back to Lewis and at this price he’s a bargain.
WR:
- Julio Jones (GoDraft $17,600, DK $8,900) Julio was my #1 WR last week and he responded with 13 catches for 135 yards and missed a TD by inches. Read my Matt Ryan notes but with no Tevin Coleman I see more passing game and less running game. Julio Jones is just too much to handle with his combination of size and speed. Watch the highlight catch he made at the 20 yard line last week trying to defend what looked like a Matt Ryan INT, WOW!!!
- Antonio Brown (GoDraft $17,600, DK $8,900) I’ve said it twice already and I’ll say it again, This Pittsburgh/St Louis game is going to be a shootout. Lots of targets for Brown and he’ll take advantage of them. Bell takes some of the attention off him with his return.
- Julian Edelman (GoDraft $17,400, DK $8,800) Another 11 catches last week and there is no slowing down in his future. He actually had 2 drops also which is very uncharacteristic. Edelman is Brady’s safety value in the short passing game and he peppers him with targets. After 59 pass attempts last week by Brady I see the passing game continuing to roll. If it ain’t broke don’t try and fix it.
- Emmanuel Sanders (GoDraft $13,800, DK $7,600) I heard a stat today on a podcast I had on this afternoon that Peyton has not connected on a pass play over 20 yards in flight. That means his swallow target Manny Sanders is in line for quality targets to move the chains. Sanders is fast so he can turn a simple out or crossing pattern into a big gain at any point. With the Denver running game running on empty they may turn even more to the short passing game early on downs.
- Michael Crabtree (GoDraft $7,800, DK $4,600) Oakland is usually playing from behind so the passing game is good for 40+ attempts each week. Crabtree is getting targeted at a very high rate and that breeds opportunity. His price hasn’t caught up yet so grab him on either site.
FLEX:
- Brandon Marshall (GoDraft $11,600, DK $6,200) I watched Marshall last Monday night bully Vontae Davis of the Colts. His red zone TD was more of the same. He is an elite talent and with his combination of size and physical play he drew multiple pass interference penalties. Eric Decker was injured late in the game and is day to day so Marshall should get double digit targets and I see a big game at a reduced price.
- Crockett Gillmore (GoDraft $8,600, DK $3,300) Football is a game of matchups and Gillmore presents the defense with a dilemma. At 6’6 and 270 pounds he is definitely a red zone target. Joe Flacco trusts him and he is solidly the #2 option in Baltimore’s passing game at this point. Still under the radar because of a tough week 1 game vs Denver where Baltimore never got going offensively but they can exploit Cincy with this matchup problem.
- Allen Robinson (GoDraft $9,900, DK $5,200) Robinson had a huge game in week 2. I was all over him in week 1 for all the right reasons but an early injury stalled his production in that game. Needless to say he is feeling better to the tune of 12 targets for 155 yards and 2 TDs.
- James Jones (GoDraft $7,100, DK $4,800) I am concerned that Jones isn’t targeted as often as I’d like but with the Lacy injury that is subject to change. He is a bona fide red zone target and Rodgers trusts him after returning to GB so take advantage of the low cost.
- Eric Ebron (GoDraft $10,700 , DK $5,100) I wanted to give a 2nd TE option and although I am going Gillmore as my cheap option I do like that Ebron is being targeted at a good rate and is a red zone threat. He was selected high in the 1st round of the NFL draft last year and took some time to get accustomed to the NFL. Detroit has other weapons which means they get more attention and Ebron flies under the radar.
Good Luck to everyone in week 3. I have my twitter challenge on @GoDraft and two Bikini Challenges each week if you want to try and take my money. Check out my value picks article for @GoDraft and create an account. Follow me on twitter @shppirate12 and use my link on @GoDraft when you sign up. @GoDraft has a FREEROLL for ONE MILLION DOLLARS so sign up and play. My @GoDraft link is listed below if you are a new user. Sign up so we both get a bonus.
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Written by Steven Ricciardi
GoDraft Link: http://godraft.com/?user=Shppirate12
